Male Pattern Baldness (MPB) or Androgenic Alopecia is the most common type of hair loss in men. It is estimated that 50% of all men in their 50s or older has MPB to some extent. There are many questions as to what causes MPB and what can be done to help men keep their hair. ENT Specialists will share the known causes of MPB and what steps can be taken to help slow down the hair loss and later treatments that are now available.
Well gentlemen; the main cause of hair loss is genetics. Yes, you can point your finger directly at your parents and ancestors. Another major factor is the male sex hormone called androgen. The androgen hormone has many functions and one of them is the generation of hair growth. Each hair has a growth cycle. In men with MPB, the hair growth cycle weakens and the hair follicle begins to shrink. As the hair follicle continues to grow thinner and thinner, the hair follicle will eventually disappear completely.
Doctors will use each patient’s own hair loss pattern to help diagnose MPB, in the event it may be due to other health conditions such as fungal conditions, scalp, or nutritional disorders. Other health conditions may also trigger baldness like when a rash, redness, pain, peeling of the scalp, hair breakage, patchy hair loss and unusual patterns of hair loss. When these other health problems occur with baldness, your doctor will most likely order a skin biopsy test to help diagnose your problem and see if any other factors are causing hair loss.
Male Pattern Baldness can occur as early as the teens. However it is more common in older men or adults. As stated earlier, genetics kick in as the male gets older, especially if the family has a higher risk of getting MPB. Some of the other signs of MPB are thinning or loss of hair at the temple or crown of the head. Other men may have balding at the front of the hairline making an “M” shape which causes a reseeding hairline that often doesn’t stop.
There is little treatment that can be done to stop balding. However there is some mild success with hair growth products such as Rogaine (Minoxidil). Rogaine helps slow down hair loss by stimulating the hair follicle. However Rogaine takes about a year of constant treatment before visual results can be seen. Don’t put too much stock in this product for it is not meant for men who have already suffered significant hair loss. For those who have lost the hair follicle, the other alternative is hair replacement surgery. Hair transplants take healthy hair follicles and places them in the balding areas. The healthy hairs take root and continue the hair growth cycle. Often multiple surgeries are required but this is the last resort for those who desire a full head of hair.
ENT Specialists provides hair replacement surgery for those who won’t give up on a full head of hair. Contact ENT Specialists today and schedule an appointment today!
